Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Installation of water meters must stop now - Brady

Installation of water meters must stop now - Brady

Sinn Fein TD for Wicklow and East Carlow John Brady has called on the government to stop the installation of water meters and the arrest of protestors. He made his comments as part of a Dáil debate on Irish Water

Deputy Brady continued;

“In February the people decided to elect 90 TD’s to this house with a mandate to scrap Irish Water and Water Charges.

The state has forcefully pursued the Irish Water agenda, with Gardaí and private security firms in tow.

Last year across the state over 188 ordinary citizens were arrested for opposing the installation of water meters, some of which are being installed by companies who have friends in high places.

On 14th April, 14 people were arrested in Wicklow Town for peacefully protesting against the roll out of the water metering programme which is costing over €540m. At that particular protest, not unlike many others, over 15 members of the Gardaí where present acting as private security for a private company.

Last year at a similar protest in Wicklow 17 people were arrested by a force of over 30 Gardaí. The irony here minister is due to cut backs, Wicklow Town has no Community Garda, yet Garda resources are being squandered in protecting Denis O’Brien.

Would those resources not be better spent protecting the communities from the crime gangs that are terrorising and murdering people in our communities?

Would it not be better to stop raiding the limited resources that local authorities have, in order to hand it over to Irish Water to install meters?

The mandate they have given to the majority of TDs here is for the total scrapping of Water metering, Irish Water and Water Charges.”